Paul in his famous chapter 1 Corinthian 12:1 says, now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Why I strongly feel that many in the Christendom are ignorant about the spiritual gift? Some people stress only on fruit of the Holy Spirit and others on gifts of the Holy Spirit, even I heard people talking that Fruit is more important than the gift. What is the balance teaching on this subject? Let’s see Man Jesus Christ who was Perfect in Fruit of the Spirit and Gifts of the Spirit. Though we can never achieve that perfection while we are in the flesh but we can glean confidence through the life of Christ that as he was Man filled by God we can also be men filled by God and strive daily to that perfection. Paul says, I have not attained that perfection, none of the Apostles and Saints of Christ attained the perfection but all strived and groaned to be like Christ. Study the life of Saints! They not only had fruits but they had gifts. It is through the bearing of fruit, Father is glorified and it is through the gifts, we are established for His Glory. Now, talents and gift of the Holy Spirit is different. A talent is something which is in the blood when they are properly groomed they becomes professionals in it but Gifts is something different which is not inborn but receives from the Almighty by grace. Now God can take your talents and use it for your Glory also! Everyone who is born of Spirit who is saved by the grace has some gift. Do you think God will leave you void after giving you the greatest gift, your salvation? Your salvation is the greatest gift you have received through Christ. All born of the Spirit has some spiritual gift. It is the individual duty as he grows in Christ to seek the Lord and know what purpose he is called for and what he has been gifted with.
The church is the body of Christ and each member are compared to the physical body. Every member of the body has some function to do; it is made for that purpose. Though each members look different and function in a different way but all of them works for the betterment of the body. Our body is sound because in the unity among the members of the body. Likewise, the soundness of the Church in the unity of the members. I like one verse from Romans 15:5-7 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: [6] That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. [7] Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God. One in spirit, one in mind and in one mouth and then only we can accept each other even if they are different from us. Each and every member should understand where he or she is placed and for what they are placed.
1) Purpose of Gifts
To impart and not to withhold – Paul says, Romans 1:11 KJV
for I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; Gifts are not given for us but for others. We are the channel that carries the gift. The end or the purpose of this impartation of gift is to for the establishment of the people. It is to help others, edify and exhort others. It is not given to use for selfish reasons, evil motives or to bury under the earth. We cannot glorify on our gifts because it is through grace we have received. It is given to use it for God’s purpose, for His Name and His Glory. We are accountable to what we have received. Remember the parable on talents.
Impart to establish others – Paul says, Romans 1:13. That I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. The purpose of the impartation of the gift of the Holy Spirit is to produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit. I doubt how many of them impart the gift to see the fruit of the Holy Spirit in others’lives. It is to establish others in Christ and make them Christ like. When we use the gift according to the purpose of God we bring glory to the Giver of the gift. Ephesians 4:12-13, 1 Corinthians 12 speaks well on this. If a soldier is successful in destroying the enemy camp. He cannot feel himself very significant because he knows he could have not done that alone but could do it because he is the part of the strong army. If you are using your gift, use it to establish the Body which you belong. 1 Corinthians 12:19 But I also want you to think about how this keeps your significance from getting blown up into self-importance. For no matter how significant you are, it is only because of what you are a part of. An enormous eye or a gigantic hand wouldn’t be a body, but a monster. What we have is one body with many parts, each its proper size and in its proper place. No part is important on its own. Can you imagine Eye telling Hand, “Get lost; I don’t need you”? Or, Head telling Foot, “You’re fired; your job has been phased out”? As a matter of fact, in practice it works the other way—the “lower” the part, the more basic, and therefore necessary. You can live without an eye, for instance, but not without a stomach. When it’s a part of your own body you are concerned with, it makes no difference whether the part is visible or clothed, higher or lower. You give it dignity and honor just as it is, without comparisons. If anything, you have more concern for the lower parts than the higher. If you had to choose, wouldn’t you prefer good digestion to full-bodied hair?
Impart with love – Gift without love is irritation because it makes great noise with no divine substance. Paul says Romans 1:11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; you cannot Long for someone if you don’t love them. Gift without love brings strife, envy and all sorts of confusion. The driving force behind the gift should be out of Love. Jesus had compassion on the people and that’s the way He performed great miracles, He wept before the tomb of Lazarus, Reader, I want you to notice one important thing here…People around the tomb of Lazarus witnessed the Love of Jesus towards the family and believed in the miracle He did. In other words, they said oh! He raised Lazarus because he loved him. Christ did not raise Lazarus just to show the world He is able! But because He loved the Family of Martha and Mary! We have whole chapter on love 1 Corinthians 13. Just after speaking on gifts on chapter 12 Paul shifts his gear towards Love! Now that does not reduce the importance of gifts. Paul mean here is we have use the gift in love. The driving force behind the impartation of the gifts is love.
I have put across some thoughtful insights to my reader from Romans Ch 1 to ponder upon this vast subject by proper reading of the Word of God. God bless you.
In Him,
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